From Thatcher to Blair: employee choice, union decline and the revival of the UK Economy … and are there lessons for Canada? Professor Len Shackleton Dean,

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "From Thatcher to Blair: employee choice, union decline and the revival of the UK Economy … and are there lessons for Canada? Professor Len Shackleton Dean,"— Presentation transcript:

1
From Thatcher to Blair: employee choice, union decline and the revival of the UK Economy … and are there lessons for Canada? Professor Len Shackleton Dean, Westminster University Business School September 25 – 30, 2006

2
UK in the late 1970s Union movement organised over half workforce and bargained for >70% Five million in “closed shop” Unions politically powerful and had defeated both parties’ attempts at reform Slow growth, rising unemployment, rapid inflation – “stagflation”

10
And the consequences? 14 years of continuous growth, majority of years growing faster than OECD as a whole Amongst the most competitive of economies in world rankings Low unemployment High employment

16
Canada 2006 is not Britain 1979, but.. Economic costs of artificially inflated unionisation Individual liberties issue about some aspects of IR legislation Britain shows that reducing union powers is feasible and can bring benefits – and, once done, few people want to turn back the clock